Context

General military service is a rather recent system in France. In the past, only a small portion of the population was drafted. In 1814, conscription was abolished and the army was based only on voluntary enrolment, but due to recruiting shortages, the law changed on March 10^th 1818 and conscription was reinstated: in addition to voluntary recruits, the army was also composed of conscripts who had to serve under the French flag for 6 years; these individuals made up 40,000 soldiers. Conscripts were selected at random from a pool of men aged 20. Yet, equality was only theoretical: in addition to specific exemptions, it was possible for wealthier individuals to pay someone else to fight in their place. The following ruling passed on October 11^th 1820 pertains to cases of self-mutilation used by young conscripts to avoid military service, suggesting that the conscription did not win unanimous support.

Overtime, the number of men involved in military service grew in proportion, but the time spent in the forces became shorter, eventually leading to the implementation of the general military service.

(N.° 9658.) THE KING’S RULING deciding that young Soldiers who mutilate themselves to escape recruitment Law, will be sent in the Pioneers company.

Paris, October 11 1820.

LOUIS, by the Grace of God, KING OF FRANCE AND OF NAVARRE, to all those who will read the following, SALUTE.
Given the law of March 10^th 1818 on the recruitment of the army;
Taking into consideration that, among the young soldiers part of the contingents implemented on the classes conscripted pursuant to this law, some voluntarily mutilated themselves to escape military service;
Taking into consideration that mutilation is an act that should be reprimanded, to prevent that it becomes a means to escape obligations imposed by the law;
Taking into consideration that, to date, no destination has been designed for the mutilated who, because of the number they drew, are part of the contingents implemented;
On the report of our minister secretary of state for war, and given our ruling of April 1^st 1818 on the creation of disciplinary units,

WE HAVE RULED and WE RULE the above:

ART. 1.^st Young soldiers part of the implemented contingents, who voluntarily mutilated themselves to escape military service will be sent, by the generals in charge of the divisions, and by means of passes delivered by assistants to the Adjutant-General Corps, in one of the pioneers companies that has been created or needs to be created pursuant to our ruling of April 1^st 1818.
2. Our minister secretary of state for war is in charge of the execution of the present ruling, which will be added to the Bulletin of the Laws.
Ruled in Paris, on October 11^th in the year of our Lord 1820, and of the twenty-sixth of our reign.

Signed LOUIS.
By the King:
The Minister Secretary of state for war,
Signed MARQUIS V. DE LA TOUR-MAUBOURG.

References

Godard, J. (1962). Les lois sur le recrutement de l’armée. La Revue administrative, 15(85), 36-40. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40763486

Humbert, C. (1867). Recherches statistiques sur le recrutement et la formation de l’armée française. Journal de la société statistique de Paris, 8, 55-62. http://www.numdam.org/item/?id=JSFS_1867__8__55_0

Appendix

Full Bulletin

French transcript

(N.° 9658.) ORDONNANCE DU ROI portant que les jeunes Soldats qui se seront mutilés pour se soustraire à la Loi du le recrutement, seront envoyés dans les Compagnies de pionniers.

A Paris, le 11 octobre 1820.

LOUIS, par la grâce de Dieu, ROI DE FRANCE ET DE NAVARRE, à tous ceux qui ces présentes verront, SALUT.
Vu la loi du 10 mars 1818 sur le recrutement de l’armée ;
Considérant que, parmi les jeunes soldats faisant partie des contingens mis en activité sur les classes appelées en vertu de cette loi, quelques-uns se sont mutilés volontairement pour se soustraire au service militaire ;
Considérant que la mutilation est un acte qu’il convient de réprimer, afin d’empêcher qu’il ne devienne un moyen de se soustraire aux obligations que la loi impose ;
Considérant que jusqu’à ce jour aucune destination n’a encore été fixée pour les mutilés qui, par leurs numéros de tirage, se trouvent faire partie des contingens mis en activité ;
Sur le rapport de notre ministre secrétaire d’état au département de la guerre, et vu notre ordonnance du 1.^er avril 1818, portant création des compagnies de discipline,

NOUS AVONS ORDONNÉ et ORDONNONS ce qui suit :

ART. 1.^er Les jeunes soldats faisant partie des contingens mis en activité, qui se sont mutilés volontairement pour se soustraire au service militaire, seront envoyés, par les soins des généraux commandant les divisions, et au moyen de lettres de passe délivrées par les sous-intendans militaires, dans une des compagnies de pionniers créées ou à créer en vertu de notre ordonnance du 1.^er avril 1818.
2. Notre ministre secrétaire d’état de la guerre est chargé de l’exécution de la présente ordonnance, qui sera insérée au Bulletin des Lois.
Donné à Paris, le 11 Octobre de l’an de grâce 1820, et de notre règne le vingt-sixième.

Signé LOUIS.
Par le Roi :
Le Ministre Secrétaire d’état de la guerre,
Signé MARQUIS V. DE LA TOUR-MAUBOURG.